Sports Editor

The team mantra was coined at the beginning of Cedar Shoals’ winter conditioning after a 4-6 season in 2012.

Davis has been hammering home accountability since first arriving in Athens.

And that hasn’t stopped just because he’s entering his second year leading the Jaguars.

“You can’t get complacent for a second, and it doesn’t have anything to do with the conduct of our kids,” Davis said. “It has to do with the human element.”

The human element, as Davis put it, is the pull to stray and do wrong if allowed to do so.

Davis said he has been proud of what his team has accomplished this offseason — competing in multiple 7-on-7 competitions, traveling to Auburn’s football camp and putting in extra work in the weight room — while fine-tuning the culture of his program.

“A lot of people think that it’s all touchdowns and high fives,” Davis said. “The most stressful part of my job is putting a product together in the locker room that’s cohesive and also putting a product on the field that our community can be proud of.”

And his football team this season begins with quarterback Daruis Jordan, who will be starting for the second consecutive season.

Jordan threw for 1,543 yards, 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 68 percent of his passes. Davis said Jordan has taken more ownership over the Jaguars’ offense.

“In the past we’ve had a bunch of coaches in and out, in and out, but we got Coach right here that put this system in, which I had to learn from last year,” Jordan said. “This year, I got more experience with his system.”

Davis’ system, an up-tempo spread attack, calls for multiple playmakers at wide receiver, something the coach said the Jaguars will have this season. Though they lost their leading receiver from last season, Chris Middlebrooks, to graduation, Davis said Quvantay Burdette and Tyler Hitchcock are two of “five guys that can go.”

“We’ve been working hard to grind,” said Hitchcock, who reeled in 22 catches for 230 yards and a touchdown last season. “Wide receiver corps, I feel like we’re the best.”

And for the Jaguars rushing attack that piled up nearly 1,500 yards last season, Davis said they will rotate in a handful of running backs if and until an individual makes himself stand out.

Cedar Shoals returns Adrian Washington, who rushed for 923 yards and 10 touchdowns on 150 carries before getting injured last season, G.G. Rittenbury and Corey Johnson, who Davis said knows the offense the best among the backs. Davis also said freshman Ryan Huff will get some carries after making an impact in the offseason.

“We’ve got some good problems to have right there,” Davis said of the running back rotation. “And again, it goes along with our mantra of, ‘Do It Right.’ Everyone’s held accountable and everybody better respect the reps they get or else they’re not going to get very many on Friday night.”

Though Davis said Brantley Summers will provide a stable anchor at center for the Jaguars’ offense — as will Andre Pattman along the offensive line — depth is a concern for him in trying to keep his team healthy throughout the season.

But the Xs and Os for Davis is the theraputic aspect of his job. Davis is aiming to build on the stability he has already created at Cedar Shoals.

“We’ve had so many coaches, but this is like the first coach that he’s serious about the Jag Nation, and I can tell he’s got a plan for this program,” Burdette said. “I would love to see him around. He’s a great leader, great coach. Everything about him — he’s a great man. I love Coach Davis.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

DARIUS JORDAN

senior quarterback

Jordan enters the 2013 season with one year’s starting experience under his belt. Look for Jordon, who threw for more than 1,500 yards last season, to have a better grip on the offense and commanding his troops.

QUVANTAY BURDETTE

wide receiver

Though Burdette is not blessed with height to make him an ideal target, coach Chris Davis said he did not back down against top schools during summer 7-on-7 workouts. He could provide a spark for the Jags.

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